Here’s To The Last Straw

Environmentalists, business owners and ordinary people around the world are calling for an end to the era of plastic; so stop sucking and start sipping.

By: Ong Shi Man

The global war on straws is gaining traction by the day. A seemingly inconsequential, slender tube became the public enemy overnight after a heart wrenching video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw lodged in its nose went viral in 2015. According to a study published in Science the same year, an estimated four to 12 million metric tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean each year.

The latest ally is actor and environmentalist Adrian Grenier, who co-founded the Lonely Whale Foundation and launched the #StopSucking campaign, featuring a wacky video of celebrities admitting they suck —plastic straws—before being struck in the face by an octopus tentacle.

The satire is a wake-up call to tackle the problem of plastic pollution and its harm to marine life. In the US alone, 500 million plastic straws are used every day. By 2050, plastics will outweigh fish.

The Royal Ditch
In January this year, Prime Minister Theresa May pledged to eradicate all plastic waste in the UK by 2042. Queen Elizabeth II set things moving with a ban of plastic straws and non-recyclable items across the Royal estates. Following Blue Planet, the evocative documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the BBC has also pledged to ban single-use plastics by 2020. People in the UK, also inspired by the series, are partaking in the #PlasticFreeLent movement, a challenge that requires giving up plastic packaging for forty days.

Closer to Home
Straws make up 3 to 12 percent of litter collected at coastal cleanups here, according to data collected by the International Coastal Cleanup, Singapore. 38 year old entrepreneur, Ms Aarti Giri, who founded the non-profit Plastic Lite Singapore in 2016, has since engaged local schools to take part in her green initiative ‘Straw-Free Tuesdays’. Drink stalls at Regent Secondary, Nan Chiau High, Pei Hwa Secondary and Nan Chiau Primary schools have gone straw-free on Tuesdays since last year, and more schools are expected to join the movement.

Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore)

The Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore) or JGIS is the local chapter of the organisation founded by Dr Jane Goodall to empower people to make a difference for all living things. JGIS is a registered society in Singapore. Our ROS number is RROS 1066/2007, and our registered address is 141 Cecil Street, #08-05, Singapore 069541.